“In the end, they have
the ultimate sanction, which is just to say, ‘Well then, I’m not coming to
work’,” Wolf told reporters Tuesday last. “And, as a former employer, I know
that would be the most powerful thing that any worker can do.”

But as the Spotlight PA
report continued:

Workers and their
advocates also noted “that refusing to go to work is often tantamount to
quitting and also could jeopardize their ability to collect unemployment
compensation.”

“When asked to clarify
Mr. Wolf’s comments, a spokesperson, Lyndsay Kensinger, denied he was
encouraging people to quit their jobs but did not explain what the governor
meant.”

Clarity, as with
transparency, never has been this administration’s strong suite.

Do remember, this is the same
governor who, faced with the fact that pandemic unemployment benefits – layered
on top of standard jobless benefits — disincentivized those laid off to return
to work – chastised employers to pay those workers more to begin with.

What, with Benjamins
fresh off the Magic Dust Cash Printing Press?

When it comes to
fundamental economics, this governor redefines ignorance. And we are left to
wonder how many feet he can fit in that mouth.

Spotlight PA also
reports
that that same governor who, to paraphrase Alfred E. Neuman (of MAD Magazine
fame), likes to ask “What, me not transparent?“ does
not support a bill that would give the public and press access to government
records during a disaster declaration.

That’s despite the measure passing the state House with
overwhelming bipartisan support.

The Wolf administration’s “transparency” has been nothing but
opaque during the coronavirus pandemic, particularly regarding waivers being
granted to “essential” businesses to operate while others were shut out – with
little or no rationale.

The governor blames a lack of staffing during the pandemic. But
more than a few have pointed out how the administration found sufficient
staffing to operate a “snitch” program to report businesses on life support
having the temerity to operate without a waiver.

As Spotlight PA quoted the governor:

“I’m trying to be transparent, and we’re focused on
doing everything we can to keep people informed as to how we’re doing. I draw a
distinction between transparency and following specific rules for things that
are mandated that we might not have the capacity to do while we’re in this
emergency.”

Sorry, Mr. Wolf, but governing during an emergency
demands greater transparency, not less.

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto, the Post-Gazette reports, says the city is looking for
creative ways to allow safe social activities – including pop-up drive-in
theaters – if coronavirus restrictions are
necessary through summer months.

Peduto
says traditional summer activities such as Little League baseball, Independence
Day festivities, public swimming pools and movies in parks could be casualties
of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’re
already in conversations of how to bring drive-ins to our neighborhoods, to be
able to have people isolated by cars in a drive-in theater that is a pop-up in
a neighborhood,” the mayor says. “We’ll still be open to safe ideas of how
people can interact.

“But
in creating public policy you always have to have a ‘true north,’ and our true
north will continue to be the safety of our residents.”

Of
course, given Peduto’s slavish devotion to “progressive” bureaucracy, we are left
to wonder if such pop-up drive-ins will be allowed only if:

Union
labor sets up the outdoor movies;

All
those in attendance are paid a “living wage” and have paid sick leave from
their employers;

Bike
lanes are included in the drive-ins’ footprint;

The
movie projector is powered by wind turbines;

And
all attendees are required to purchase carbon-offset credits for the privilege
of breathing in unison in one place.

Just
sayin’.

Colin McNickle is communications and marketing director at the
Allegheny Institute for Public Policy (cmcnickle@alleghenyinstitute.org).